by by Darren DeLaune, MNN sports writer
KELLYVILLE — After he learned to dribble, Jonathan Buckley (Muscogee) couldn’t keep a basketball out of his hands. From the time he was three years old, Buckley has not gone a day without a drill or training that involves basketball. That dedication, perseverance and never-quit attitude is what helped him earn a scholarship to play for Rogers State in Claremore, Okla.
Buckley played high school basketball for the Ponies at Kellyville. His coach, Joe Ballard, compares his style of play to NBA star James Harden of the Oklahoma City Thunder.“I like to compare Jonathan to Harden,” Ballard said. “He could do anything on the floor. He can shoot the three, drive to the goal and also make great passes to his open teammates. That is where I see the comparison.”
This year, Buckley’s team relied on him to be able to play anywhere. At 6’4”, 170 pounds, he showed exactly what he needed to do on the court. The opposing teams knew what he could do as well and tried their best to stop him. Buckley let the other teams know he could do anything his coach needed him to do when called upon to make sure his team came home with the win. “If I needed to play a post or a guard,” Buckley said, “that was okay with me. I wanted to do everything that I could to get my team involved and to make sure we won our games. It didn’t matter to me at all. I wanted to get out there, play and help my team.”“Jonathan could play anywhere
on the floor at anytime,” Ballard said. “This year I needed him to play point guard but he could play wherever I needed him when he was out on the court. There were times if his threes were not falling, he would drive to the rim and nobody could stop him.”
Being versatile is what helped Buckley earn several awards for this season and also helped him become part of the first team All-State for Oklahoma, the first ever from Kellyville. “I would love to say I am the reason that Jonathan did so well,” Ballard said. “It is not though. Everything that Jonathan received, he has earned. He has made Kellyville very proud. I am very proud of what he has done for my team and I know he will do great at the next level.”
His new coach at Rogers State University is Coach Justin Barkley. Barkley had some great things to say about his new recruit. “I couldn’t be happier signing Buckley,” Barkley said. “We are getting a great basketball player, but a better character young man, the kind that we want in our program. Buckley really caught my attention, when I had a chance to recruit him throughout the year. He has the tremendous upside of athleticism and we are expecting great things from him. He will have a bright future in a Hillcat uniform.”
“I’m ready to play next year at Rogers State,” Buckley said. “Even after the season was over, I wanted to get back in they gym and get ready for next season.”
Buckley is undecided where his major is concerned but he is looking forward to the next step in his basketball career. As always he is preparing himself, and practicing 110 percent.Buckley’s parents are Sheri Jones and Jackie Buckley.
(Article provided to us by the Muscogee Nation News department, read this and others in the June 2012 of the MNN @ http://www.muscogeenation-nsn.gov/images/stories/pdf/MNN/mnnjun12.pdf)
